This invention relates to the maintenance and repair of pipelines that carry or supply fluids, and especially those which are subsurface, such as those which are sub-marine. It is risers which are of special concern and any other type or disposition of piping, and all of which require additions, deletions, maintenance and repair. Therefore, it is common practice that pipeline servicing requires cutting into and the replacement of sections of such pipe and risers. Prior art methods of pipe line servicing have involved tedious underwater adjustments and welding in order to complete such service operations and repair and/or replacement of pipe sections and risers, and the couplings employed tend to be complex and involved with respect to the procedure required in order to install them. It is therefore a general object of this invention to provide a repair coupling for pipe lines and risers which is simple and uncomplicated and which is made secure in a conventional manner of making up a pair of connection flanges with the customary bolt type fasteners that draw them together. This invention is characterized by a pair of pipe flanges that are brought together, whereby the coupling is automatically operated to secure slip means and packing means.
This invention is concerned with pipelines and risers which require change, replacement or repair. Sub-surface marine installation of pipe is subject to deterioration and damage that must be corrected beneath the water surface. Also, system changes often require alteration in the piping. To these ends, sections of pipe are often and continuously altered, replaced, shut off or opened up into additional piping; and all of which necessitates couplings adapted to be installed beneath the water surface. Heretofore, couplings for this purpose have required separate operations to (1) connect pipe sections, (2) set the slips, and (3) compress the packing; or when these three operations are conducted together the couplings become overly complicated and difficult to assemble and install under sub-surface conditions. It is an object therefore, of this invention, to provide a simple coupling that is applicable to the end of one pipe section so as to be connected to the end of another continuing pipe section. In practice, the connection of pipe sections is by means of a pair of common pipe flanges.
It is an object of this invention to connect the open ends of pipe sections by means of a pair of pipe flanges while automatically setting slip means and packing means thereto. It is another object of this invention to provide piston means carried by one flange and engageable with the other flange to operate the slip means and packing means. It still another object of this invention to provide means by which the slip means and packing means are sequentially operated; or alternately a combination of said slip means and packing means by which they are sequentially operated. Still another object of this invention is to provide a pipe coupling for underwater installation wherein the cooperative sip means and packing means are carried by one pipe flange; the other pipe flange alone being secured to its pipe section as by means of welding or the like. In practice, any and all-welding is conducted above surface when replacing pipe sections and risers; and all underwater welding and subsequent adjustments are eliminated. A feature of this invention is that the drawing together of two simple pipe flanges automatically sets the slips and compresses the packing, in sequence as will be described.